Bin Wang, Jianqiang Deng, Tengfei Wang, Haiying Hu, Samaila Usman, Jian Lan
Tillage management practices play a critical role in maintaining sustainable forage production systems in degraded alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) pastures. However, climate change leads to the precipitation exhibits greater variability, the impacts of tillage practices on alfalfa productivity and forage quality as well as the relationships between water consumption and soil properties remain poorly understood. The field trial conducted from 2018 to 2020 aimed to investigate the impacts of different tillage treatments (i.e., no tillage [CK], strip subsoiling tillage [ST], strip rotary tillage [RT], and strip rotary tillage after strip subsoiling [SRT]) on soil properties, water use efficiency (WUE), and forage productivity. Compared with CK, tillage practices significantly increased forage biomass and crude protein yield (CPY), particularly in the case of the SRT treatment, in which the increase was 20.8% and 25.3% higher, respectively (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the net income in the SRT treatment exhibited the greatest value (US $1922.0 ha−1), showing a 17.0% increase compared with that in the CK treatment. The relationship of soil structure and crop water consumption became evident when tillage practices were applied in the degraded alfalfa pasture. The soil bulk density under the ST, RT, and SRT treatments decreased by 6.9%, 5.4%, and 8.6%, whereas the soil porosity increased by 8.6%, 6.7%, and 10.7% in the 0–60 cm soil layer, respectively (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the soil water content at a depth of 0–60 cm increased by 12.1% in the SRT treatment compared with the CK treatment at the harvesting stage, and the SRT treatment obtained the highest WUE of dry matter (16.9 kg ha−1 mm−1) and precipitation use efficiency of dry matter (15.8 kg ha−1 mm−1). In addition, total nitrogen in the ST, RT, and SRT treatments increased significantly by 21.4%, 11.1%, and 27.0%, respectively, and soil organic carbon in the ST, RT, and SRT treatments also increased significantly by 5.5%, 3.3%, and 10.4%, respectively, compared with those in the CK treatment (p < 0.05). Our study has demonstrated that tillage practices can optimize soil structure, improve water utilization, and increase soil fertilizer for enhancing forage productivity. The SRT practice could be a preferable approach for sustainable agricultural production of degraded alfalfa grassland in the semiarid region of China.
{"title":"Innovative Tillage Practices to Establish Productive and Sustainable Forage Production Systems in Degraded Alfalfa Pastures in Semiarid Regions","authors":"Bin Wang, Jianqiang Deng, Tengfei Wang, Haiying Hu, Samaila Usman, Jian Lan","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5332","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5332","url":null,"abstract":"Tillage management practices play a critical role in maintaining sustainable forage production systems in degraded alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) pastures. However, climate change leads to the precipitation exhibits greater variability, the impacts of tillage practices on alfalfa productivity and forage quality as well as the relationships between water consumption and soil properties remain poorly understood. The field trial conducted from 2018 to 2020 aimed to investigate the impacts of different tillage treatments (i.e., no tillage [CK], strip subsoiling tillage [ST], strip rotary tillage [RT], and strip rotary tillage after strip subsoiling [SRT]) on soil properties, water use efficiency (WUE), and forage productivity. Compared with CK, tillage practices significantly increased forage biomass and crude protein yield (CPY), particularly in the case of the SRT treatment, in which the increase was 20.8% and 25.3% higher, respectively (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Meanwhile, the net income in the SRT treatment exhibited the greatest value (US $1922.0 ha<sup>−1</sup>), showing a 17.0% increase compared with that in the CK treatment. The relationship of soil structure and crop water consumption became evident when tillage practices were applied in the degraded alfalfa pasture. The soil bulk density under the ST, RT, and SRT treatments decreased by 6.9%, 5.4%, and 8.6%, whereas the soil porosity increased by 8.6%, 6.7%, and 10.7% in the 0–60 cm soil layer, respectively (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Furthermore, the soil water content at a depth of 0–60 cm increased by 12.1% in the SRT treatment compared with the CK treatment at the harvesting stage, and the SRT treatment obtained the highest WUE of dry matter (16.9 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> mm<sup>−1</sup>) and precipitation use efficiency of dry matter (15.8 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> mm<sup>−1</sup>). In addition, total nitrogen in the ST, RT, and SRT treatments increased significantly by 21.4%, 11.1%, and 27.0%, respectively, and soil organic carbon in the ST, RT, and SRT treatments also increased significantly by 5.5%, 3.3%, and 10.4%, respectively, compared with those in the CK treatment (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Our study has demonstrated that tillage practices can optimize soil structure, improve water utilization, and increase soil fertilizer for enhancing forage productivity. The SRT practice could be a preferable approach for sustainable agricultural production of degraded alfalfa grassland in the semiarid region of China.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142486392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The crucial role of soil water retention and storage in soil hydrology and the water cycle is well established. However, in sensitive and degraded ecosystems like alpine meadows, the effectiveness of revegetation in enhancing these critical functions remains understudied. This study investigates the effects of revegetating severely degraded hillside meadows with artificial grasslands on soil water retention and storage capacity in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Soil analyses at a depth of 0–20 cm revealed significant improvements in soil properties after revegetation, with increases in soil organic matter content (86.8%), total porosity (11.9%), capillary porosity (31.6%), and clay content (13.5%). Both the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and field capacity (FC) increased markedly, by 9.7% and 63.7% in the upper layer (0–10 cm) and 21.7% and 69.6% in the lower layer (10–20 cm), respectively. Structural equation modeling identified bulk density, root mass density, FC, capillary porosity, and clay content as the dominant direct factors influencing Ks with path coefficients of −0.56, 0.30, −0.53, 0.57, and −0.12, respectively, while vegetation cover and aboveground biomass were found to have indirect influences. These findings demonstrate that revegetation with artificial grasslands effectively improves soil water retention and storage capacity in degraded hillside alpine meadows by regulating key soil hydraulic and physical properties. This enhanced water-holding capacity has significant implications for understanding the dynamics of revegetation by artificial grassland establishment in improving ecosystem health and eco-hydrological functions in these vulnerable environments. Furthermore, the study provides valuable insights and a theoretical basis for developing ecological restoration solutions for degraded hillside meadows in other alpine regions.
{"title":"Artificial Grassland Revegetation Improves Soil Water Retention and Storage Capacity of the Degraded Hillside Alpine Meadow","authors":"Yulei Ma, Lingchao Meng, Yifan Liu, Juan Pinos, Zhihua Shi, Gao-Lin Wu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5349","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5349","url":null,"abstract":"The crucial role of soil water retention and storage in soil hydrology and the water cycle is well established. However, in sensitive and degraded ecosystems like alpine meadows, the effectiveness of revegetation in enhancing these critical functions remains understudied. This study investigates the effects of revegetating severely degraded hillside meadows with artificial grasslands on soil water retention and storage capacity in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Soil analyses at a depth of 0–20 cm revealed significant improvements in soil properties after revegetation, with increases in soil organic matter content (86.8%), total porosity (11.9%), capillary porosity (31.6%), and clay content (13.5%). Both the saturated hydraulic conductivity (<i>Ks</i>) and field capacity (FC) increased markedly, by 9.7% and 63.7% in the upper layer (0–10 cm) and 21.7% and 69.6% in the lower layer (10–20 cm), respectively. Structural equation modeling identified bulk density, root mass density, FC, capillary porosity, and clay content as the dominant direct factors influencing <i>Ks</i> with path coefficients of −0.56, 0.30, −0.53, 0.57, and −0.12, respectively, while vegetation cover and aboveground biomass were found to have indirect influences. These findings demonstrate that revegetation with artificial grasslands effectively improves soil water retention and storage capacity in degraded hillside alpine meadows by regulating key soil hydraulic and physical properties. This enhanced water-holding capacity has significant implications for understanding the dynamics of revegetation by artificial grassland establishment in improving ecosystem health and eco-hydrological functions in these vulnerable environments. Furthermore, the study provides valuable insights and a theoretical basis for developing ecological restoration solutions for degraded hillside meadows in other alpine regions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142486473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Projections of soil erosion under climate and land use changes are pivotal for optimizing soil conservation strategies. Ecological policies are thought to influence future land-use changes and associated soil erosion dynamics. However, these policies are inadequately incorporated into projections, leaving the future trajectory of soil erosion still unclear. China's ecological redline policy (ERP) is among the first national policies to integrate multiple ecosystem services into land use planning, preventing anthropogenic soil erosion on over 25% of the territory. Therefore, focusing on China, three alternative Shared Socioeconomic Pathway and Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) were coupled with future-oriented ERP to reflect future soil erosion patterns by the late-21st century. Projections rely on an integrated multi-model approach. The conducted analysis suggests that climate change is projected to exacerbate soil erosion by 12.06%–36.90% due to increased precipitation, characterized by high-intensity events. Land use change is projected to mitigate or even reverse the climate-induced increase in soil erosion. The combined climate and land use simulations showed that the annual average soil erosion rate will increase by 26.36% under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, while it will decrease by 8.08% and 14.94% under the SSP1-2.6 and SSP3-7.0 scenarios, respectively. The implementation of ERP reduces potential soil erosion by 4.08%–14.89% (equal to 0.31–0.86 Gt year−1 soil loss) in the late-21st century, particularly in scenarios with intensive conflicts between population and land sources. This study provides a valuable reference for the formulation of national strategies aimed at controlling soil loss accelerated by climate change.
{"title":"Soil Erosion Under Climate and Land Use Changes in China: Incorporating Ecological Policy Constraints","authors":"Yi Zhang, Yi Zeng, Renjie Zong, Nufang Fang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5353","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5353","url":null,"abstract":"Projections of soil erosion under climate and land use changes are pivotal for optimizing soil conservation strategies. Ecological policies are thought to influence future land-use changes and associated soil erosion dynamics. However, these policies are inadequately incorporated into projections, leaving the future trajectory of soil erosion still unclear. China's ecological redline policy (ERP) is among the first national policies to integrate multiple ecosystem services into land use planning, preventing anthropogenic soil erosion on over 25% of the territory. Therefore, focusing on China, three alternative Shared Socioeconomic Pathway and Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) were coupled with future-oriented ERP to reflect future soil erosion patterns by the late-21st century. Projections rely on an integrated multi-model approach. The conducted analysis suggests that climate change is projected to exacerbate soil erosion by 12.06%–36.90% due to increased precipitation, characterized by high-intensity events. Land use change is projected to mitigate or even reverse the climate-induced increase in soil erosion. The combined climate and land use simulations showed that the annual average soil erosion rate will increase by 26.36% under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, while it will decrease by 8.08% and 14.94% under the SSP1-2.6 and SSP3-7.0 scenarios, respectively. The implementation of ERP reduces potential soil erosion by 4.08%–14.89% (equal to 0.31–0.86 Gt year<sup>−1</sup> soil loss) in the late-21st century, particularly in scenarios with intensive conflicts between population and land sources. This study provides a valuable reference for the formulation of national strategies aimed at controlling soil loss accelerated by climate change.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142486390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Quadri A. Anibaba, Marcin K. Dyderski, Gabriela Woźniak, Andrzej M. Jagodziński
In spontaneously vegetated postindustrial areas, we have limited knowledge of whether the known inhibitory tendencies of herbaceous species—Calamagrostis epigejos and Solidago spp.—vary across successional stages. Our study fills this knowledge gap to assess the inhibitory role of the invasive alien and expansive native species with known behavior from the literature. Specifically, we hypothesized: (i) there will be an inhibitory effect of these species on diversity across successional classes; (ii) the effect of a species will depend on the successional class due to abiotic requirements of plant communities in each successional class. We recorded vascular plant species and their abundance across 400 plots on post-coal mine heaps in Upper Silesia, Poland. We classified spoil heaps into three successional classes (early-stage; mid-stage; late-stage). We calculated plant community taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and, using generalized linear mixed-effects models, we estimated predictors of diversity indices across successional classes. While we found no limiting effects of these species on diversity indices across successional classes, the effects of a species depended on the successional stage. We found the impacts of Calamagrostis and Solidago cover on diversity indices in the mid-successional stage. This implies that the early-successional stage is controlled by the lottery (random) model of community assembly. However, in the mid-successional stage, the competitive exploitation mechanism is evident, resulting in declines in diversity indices. Thus, the impacts of Calamagrostis and Solidago on diversity indices are evident in the mid-successional stage.
{"title":"The Inhibitory Tendency of Calamagrostis epigejos and Solidago spp. Depends on the Successional Stage in Postindustrial Vegetation","authors":"Quadri A. Anibaba, Marcin K. Dyderski, Gabriela Woźniak, Andrzej M. Jagodziński","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5348","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5348","url":null,"abstract":"In spontaneously vegetated postindustrial areas, we have limited knowledge of whether the known inhibitory tendencies of herbaceous species—<i>Calamagrostis epigejos</i> and <i>Solidago</i> spp.—vary across successional stages. Our study fills this knowledge gap to assess the inhibitory role of the invasive alien and expansive native species with known behavior from the literature. Specifically, we hypothesized: (i) there will be an inhibitory effect of these species on diversity across successional classes; (ii) the effect of a species will depend on the successional class due to abiotic requirements of plant communities in each successional class. We recorded vascular plant species and their abundance across 400 plots on post-coal mine heaps in Upper Silesia, Poland. We classified spoil heaps into three successional classes (early-stage; mid-stage; late-stage). We calculated plant community taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and, using generalized linear mixed-effects models, we estimated predictors of diversity indices across successional classes. While we found no limiting effects of these species on diversity indices across successional classes, the effects of a species depended on the successional stage. We found the impacts of <i>Calamagrostis</i> and <i>Solidago</i> cover on diversity indices in the mid-successional stage. This implies that the early-successional stage is controlled by the lottery (random) model of community assembly. However, in the mid-successional stage, the competitive exploitation mechanism is evident, resulting in declines in diversity indices. Thus, the impacts of <i>Calamagrostis</i> and <i>Solidago</i> on diversity indices are evident in the mid-successional stage.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142451938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In alpine meadows, microorganisms are essential to sustain the stability of terrestrial geochemical processes and vegetation–soil–microbial systems. The present study in order investigate how various management measures impact the microbial communities' composition and functionality, we utilize metagenomic sequencing techniques to examinate the composition and function of soil microbial communities in the southern Qilian Mountains of the Qinghai‐Xizang Plateau in response to the management practices of fencing enclose (FE), winter grazing (WG), transition zone between natural and artificial grasslands (TZ), and artificial unicast oats (AU). Vegetation diversity and soil physicochemical characteristics were dramatically altered by the management measures. The prokaryotic community structure was considerably similar in FE and WG, as well as in TZ and AU. Near‐natural (FE) and artificial establishment (AU) disturbances changed the fungal community structure. Enzymes related to carbon metabolism did not respond significantly to the management measures, whereas those related to nitrogen metabolism did not respond significantly in TZ and AU. The relative abundance of enzymes participating in nitrogen metabolism was higher under TZ and AU than under FE and WG. We concluded that grassland management measures altered the structure of aboveground graminoid and leguminous vegetation communities and belowground biomass allocation, resulting in changes in K uptake, causing striking changes in the structure of fungal communities and nitrogen‐metabolizing enzymes; moderate disturbance (WG) was beneficial for maintaining the stability of microbial communities in alpine grasslands.
在高寒草甸，微生物是维持陆地地球化学过程和植被-土壤-微生物系统稳定的关键。为了探讨各种管理措施如何影响微生物群落的组成和功能，本研究利用元基因组测序技术，研究了青藏高原祁连山南部土壤微生物群落的组成和功能，以及围栏封育（FE）、冬季放牧（WG）、天然草地与人工草地过渡带（TZ）和人工单播燕麦（AU）等管理措施对土壤微生物群落的影响。管理措施极大地改变了植被多样性和土壤理化特征。原核生物群落结构在 FE 和 WG 以及 TZ 和 AU 中非常相似。近自然干扰（FE）和人工建立干扰（AU）改变了真菌群落结构。与碳代谢有关的酶对管理措施没有明显反应，而与氮代谢有关的酶在TZ和AU也没有明显反应。在TZ和AU条件下，参与氮代谢的酶的相对丰度高于FE和WG。我们的结论是，草地管理措施改变了地上禾本科和豆科植被群落的结构和地下生物量分配，导致钾吸收的变化，引起真菌群落结构和氮代谢酶的显著变化；适度干扰（WG）有利于维持高寒草地微生物群落的稳定。
{"title":"Winter Grazing, Not Fencing or Unicast, Promotes Stability of Microbial Community and Function in the Qilian Mountains of Qinghai‐Xizang Plateau","authors":"Sichen Pan, Caiyun Luo, Xin Chen, Dongdong Chen, Qi Li, Fuquan He, Yukun Zhang, Li Zhang, Liang Zhao","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5330","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5330","url":null,"abstract":"In alpine meadows, microorganisms are essential to sustain the stability of terrestrial geochemical processes and vegetation–soil–microbial systems. The present study in order investigate how various management measures impact the microbial communities' composition and functionality, we utilize metagenomic sequencing techniques to examinate the composition and function of soil microbial communities in the southern Qilian Mountains of the Qinghai‐Xizang Plateau in response to the management practices of fencing enclose (FE), winter grazing (WG), transition zone between natural and artificial grasslands (TZ), and artificial unicast oats (AU). Vegetation diversity and soil physicochemical characteristics were dramatically altered by the management measures. The prokaryotic community structure was considerably similar in FE and WG, as well as in TZ and AU. Near‐natural (FE) and artificial establishment (AU) disturbances changed the fungal community structure. Enzymes related to carbon metabolism did not respond significantly to the management measures, whereas those related to nitrogen metabolism did not respond significantly in TZ and AU. The relative abundance of enzymes participating in nitrogen metabolism was higher under TZ and AU than under FE and WG. We concluded that grassland management measures altered the structure of aboveground graminoid and leguminous vegetation communities and belowground biomass allocation, resulting in changes in K uptake, causing striking changes in the structure of fungal communities and nitrogen‐metabolizing enzymes; moderate disturbance (WG) was beneficial for maintaining the stability of microbial communities in alpine grasslands.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"75 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142486642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sabina Dołęgowska, Agnieszka Sołtys, Karina Krzciuk, Dariusz Wideł, Artur Michalik
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of contaminants characterized by their persistent and toxic nature. This study examines the variability in PAH distribution patterns in the upper layers of forest soils, focusing on the influence of different characteristics of individual soil (sub)horizons. A total of 130 samples were collected from five forest areas in south-central Poland and analyzed for the 16 priority PAHs. Samples were taken from the organic fermentative-humic (Ofh), humic (A), and humic-eluvial (AE) (sub)horizons. The highest mean concentrations of total PAHs were found in the subhorizon-Ofh (Ofh—1547 μg kg−1, A—1103 μg kg−1, AE—109 μg kg−1). The PAH content was significantly correlated with SOM content and pH, but this correlation was only significant in the horizon-A. The percentage contributions of 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-ring compounds to the total PAHs varied among the investigated soil (sub)horizons. The subhorizon-Ofh had the highest percentage contribution of 6-ring PAHs, 4- and 5-ring PAHs were most prevalent in the horizon-A, while 3-ring compounds in the horizon-AE. The variability in PAH patterns was also reflected in individual PAH ratios (BaA/BaA+Chr, IcdP/IcdP+BghiP), confirming the different behavior of 4-, 5-, and 6-ring compounds in these (sub)horizons. This suggests that the retention of PAHs in the investigated (sub)horizons is influenced by several factors, including pH, degree of SOM decomposition, and mineral fraction, each to a different extent. Our findings reveal significant knowledge gaps regarding the behavior and accumulation of PAHs in soil (sub)horizons, underscoring the need for further research.
{"title":"Variability of PAH Patterns in Upper Forest Soil (Sub)horizons—A Case Study From South-Central Poland","authors":"Sabina Dołęgowska, Agnieszka Sołtys, Karina Krzciuk, Dariusz Wideł, Artur Michalik","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5346","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5346","url":null,"abstract":"Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of contaminants characterized by their persistent and toxic nature. This study examines the variability in PAH distribution patterns in the upper layers of forest soils, focusing on the influence of different characteristics of individual soil (sub)horizons. A total of 130 samples were collected from five forest areas in south-central Poland and analyzed for the 16 priority PAHs. Samples were taken from the organic fermentative-humic (Ofh), humic (A), and humic-eluvial (AE) (sub)horizons. The highest mean concentrations of total PAHs were found in the subhorizon-Ofh (Ofh—1547 μg kg<sup>−1</sup>, A—1103 μg kg<sup>−1</sup>, AE—109 μg kg<sup>−1</sup>). The PAH content was significantly correlated with SOM content and pH, but this correlation was only significant in the horizon-A. The percentage contributions of 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-ring compounds to the total PAHs varied among the investigated soil (sub)horizons. The subhorizon-Ofh had the highest percentage contribution of 6-ring PAHs, 4- and 5-ring PAHs were most prevalent in the horizon-A, while 3-ring compounds in the horizon-AE. The variability in PAH patterns was also reflected in individual PAH ratios (BaA/BaA+Chr, IcdP/IcdP+BghiP), confirming the different behavior of 4-, 5-, and 6-ring compounds in these (sub)horizons. This suggests that the retention of PAHs in the investigated (sub)horizons is influenced by several factors, including pH, degree of SOM decomposition, and mineral fraction, each to a different extent. Our findings reveal significant knowledge gaps regarding the behavior and accumulation of PAHs in soil (sub)horizons, underscoring the need for further research.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"209 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142451936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Effective evaluation of cultivated land quality is crucial for sustainable agricultural management. Existing research often focuses on regional scales and lacks sufficient detailed analysis of spatial distribution and limiting factors at localized scales. This study aims to select the key indicators to evaluate cultivated land quality and analyze their influence on cultivated land quality at the county level. Taking Changtu County as the research area, principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to identify the most effective Minimum Data Set (MDS) for evaluation, including cultivated layer thickness, soil organic matter (SOM), pH, bulk density (BD), and cultivated layer texture. Additionally, an obstacle degree model was used to analyze restricting factors and their degrees of impact. Results showed that the constructed MDS could replace all indicators for cultivated land quality evaluation. Quality was higher in central areas and lower in eastern and western regions. SOM content decreases with the decrease of quality grade, significantly affecting the quality distribution, and pH in the medium category (Grades III and VI) cultivated lands were lower compared to other categories. Low organic matter content and low pH levels were the main obstacles affecting cultivated land quality, with average obstacle degrees of 43.5% and 29.3%, respectively. Low SOM content significantly affected land quality, particularly in the western region, whereas acidic soils in the eastern region influenced quality grade distribution. Thus, strategies for pH control and SOM enhancement are essential for improving cultivated land quality. This study provides valuable insights into sustainable agriculture.
{"title":"Cultivated Land Quality Assessment and Obstacle Factors Diagnosis in Changtu County, Northeast China","authors":"Fengkui Qian, Siyu Jiao, Yuanjun Yu, Xiangguo Wang, Tianyi Shao","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5278","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ldr.5278","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Effective evaluation of cultivated land quality is crucial for sustainable agricultural management. Existing research often focuses on regional scales and lacks sufficient detailed analysis of spatial distribution and limiting factors at localized scales. This study aims to select the key indicators to evaluate cultivated land quality and analyze their influence on cultivated land quality at the county level. Taking Changtu County as the research area, principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to identify the most effective Minimum Data Set (MDS) for evaluation, including cultivated layer thickness, soil organic matter (SOM), pH, bulk density (BD), and cultivated layer texture. Additionally, an obstacle degree model was used to analyze restricting factors and their degrees of impact. Results showed that the constructed MDS could replace all indicators for cultivated land quality evaluation. Quality was higher in central areas and lower in eastern and western regions. SOM content decreases with the decrease of quality grade, significantly affecting the quality distribution, and pH in the medium category (Grades III and VI) cultivated lands were lower compared to other categories. Low organic matter content and low pH levels were the main obstacles affecting cultivated land quality, with average obstacle degrees of 43.5% and 29.3%, respectively. Low SOM content significantly affected land quality, particularly in the western region, whereas acidic soils in the eastern region influenced quality grade distribution. Thus, strategies for pH control and SOM enhancement are essential for improving cultivated land quality. This study provides valuable insights into sustainable agriculture.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"35 17","pages":"5065-5077"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142451942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Biogas residue (BR) and biogas residue-derived biochar (BRC) are widely used as substitute for inorganic Nitrogen (N) fertilizers in vegetable production. Yet, their comparative research on vegetable production and N2O production was still lacking. Here, the pot experiment of pakchoi (Brassica chinensis) with a gradient of BR or BRC application rates (0, 30%, 60%, 100% w/w) was carried out to simulate different N fertilizer substitution rates. The results showed that the pakchoi yield had no difference between BR or BRC and control treatments; BRC had more advantages than BR in maintaining or increasing the pakchoi yield. BR and BRC could all reduce N2O production potential in vegetable soils. But BRC had a stronger ability to inhibit denitrification while BR had a stronger ability to inhibit nitrification compared with each other. The results showed that BR and BRC had different regulatory pathways for pakchoi yield and N2O production. BR regulated the pakchoi yield majorly through nitrification, but BRC majorly through denitrification. It suggested that BR and BRC could partially or completely replace inorganic fertilizers without reducing pakchoi yield. BRC combined with chemical fertilizers was a higher intelligence strategy in vegetable systems to improve pakchoi yield and N2O production compared with BR. It provided a theoretical basis for the application of BR and BRC to nutrient cycling and microbial processes in the soil-vegetable system.
{"title":"Biogas Residue Carbonization Rather Than Biogas Residue Promoted the Yield of Pakchoi and Reduced the N2O Production Potential in Horticultural Soil","authors":"Hao Ouyang, Yufeng Song, Qianqian Yu, Yindi Zhou, Feifan Zhang, Hongyue Wang, Lei Zhong","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5347","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5347","url":null,"abstract":"Biogas residue (BR) and biogas residue-derived biochar (BRC) are widely used as substitute for inorganic Nitrogen (N) fertilizers in vegetable production. Yet, their comparative research on vegetable production and N<sub>2</sub>O production was still lacking. Here, the pot experiment of pakchoi (<i>Brassica chinensis</i>) with a gradient of BR or BRC application rates (0, 30%, 60%, 100% w/w) was carried out to simulate different N fertilizer substitution rates. The results showed that the pakchoi yield had no difference between BR or BRC and control treatments; BRC had more advantages than BR in maintaining or increasing the pakchoi yield. BR and BRC could all reduce N<sub>2</sub>O production potential in vegetable soils. But BRC had a stronger ability to inhibit denitrification while BR had a stronger ability to inhibit nitrification compared with each other. The results showed that BR and BRC had different regulatory pathways for pakchoi yield and N<sub>2</sub>O production. BR regulated the pakchoi yield majorly through nitrification, but BRC majorly through denitrification. It suggested that BR and BRC could partially or completely replace inorganic fertilizers without reducing pakchoi yield. BRC combined with chemical fertilizers was a higher intelligence strategy in vegetable systems to improve pakchoi yield and N<sub>2</sub>O production compared with BR. It provided a theoretical basis for the application of BR and BRC to nutrient cycling and microbial processes in the soil-vegetable system.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142449687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ke Liang, Tianyang Li, Yaoyue Zhang, Haixiang Zhang, Binghui He
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), an organic carbon fraction with high activeness and mobility, migrated by runoff is a key part in carbon cycle. A rational straw mulching rate can be regulated to obtain maximum benefits while controlling runoff and sediment yield on sloping lands. However, little remains known about the optimal straw mulching rates required for effectively reducing the loss of DOC in runoff. Therefore, to overcome the existing limitations, this study investigated the effects of modified maize straw mulching rates on the loss of DOC during runoff, utilizing indoor rainfall simulation. Five mulching rates, including 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 kg m−2 [control (CK) and treatments (T1, T2, T3, and T4), respectively], were tested in combination with three slope gradients (10°, 15°, and 20°) to evaluate how straw mulching rate influences runoff, sediment yield, and runoff‐related DOC loss under a heavy rainfall intensity of 90 mm h−1. Our results showed that various straw mulching rates did not significantly differ runoff rates; however, straw mulching significantly reduced sediment concentration and yield. Moreover, the reduction in sediment yield increased with an increase in mulching rate. Compared to the CK, T1 resulted in a 63% increase in DOC loss at a slope of 20°. Additionally, T2 caused an 8% and 7.2% increase in DOC loss at both 10° and 15° slopes. Conversely, T3 and T4 reduced DOC loss by 54.1%–80.8% and 51.1%–65.2%, respectively, across all slope gradients. These results suggested that mulching rates of 0.2–0.4 kg m−2 may potentially increase DOC loss in runoff on the sloping lands. Our results hold significant importance in optimizing the use of straw mulching for sustainable management practices in agricultural lands.
{"title":"Response of Runoff, Sediment Yield, and Runoff‐Related Dissolved Organic Carbon Loss to Variable Straw Mulching Rates on Sloping Lands of Regosols","authors":"Ke Liang, Tianyang Li, Yaoyue Zhang, Haixiang Zhang, Binghui He","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5343","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5343","url":null,"abstract":"Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), an organic carbon fraction with high activeness and mobility, migrated by runoff is a key part in carbon cycle. A rational straw mulching rate can be regulated to obtain maximum benefits while controlling runoff and sediment yield on sloping lands. However, little remains known about the optimal straw mulching rates required for effectively reducing the loss of DOC in runoff. Therefore, to overcome the existing limitations, this study investigated the effects of modified maize straw mulching rates on the loss of DOC during runoff, utilizing indoor rainfall simulation. Five mulching rates, including 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 kg m<jats:sup>−2</jats:sup> [control (CK) and treatments (T1, T2, T3, and T4), respectively], were tested in combination with three slope gradients (10°, 15°, and 20°) to evaluate how straw mulching rate influences runoff, sediment yield, and runoff‐related DOC loss under a heavy rainfall intensity of 90 mm h<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>. Our results showed that various straw mulching rates did not significantly differ runoff rates; however, straw mulching significantly reduced sediment concentration and yield. Moreover, the reduction in sediment yield increased with an increase in mulching rate. Compared to the CK, T1 resulted in a 63% increase in DOC loss at a slope of 20°. Additionally, T2 caused an 8% and 7.2% increase in DOC loss at both 10° and 15° slopes. Conversely, T3 and T4 reduced DOC loss by 54.1%–80.8% and 51.1%–65.2%, respectively, across all slope gradients. These results suggested that mulching rates of 0.2–0.4 kg m<jats:sup>−2</jats:sup> may potentially increase DOC loss in runoff on the sloping lands. Our results hold significant importance in optimizing the use of straw mulching for sustainable management practices in agricultural lands.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142451423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ibrahim Abdullahi Yabo, Luís Flávio Pereira, Rafael Gomes Siqueira, Rugana Imbaná, Alex Xavier Pinheiro, Isabelle de Angeli Oliveira, Carlos Ernesto Gonçalves Reynaud Schaefer, Elpídio Inácio Fernandes‐Filho
The Northern Nigeria Region (NNR) has historically suffered from land productivity changes due to anthropogenic and climatic factors. The development of methodologies that can evaluate these changes at the pixel level and spatialize the effects of driving factors is a key requisite to provide targeted solutions for land degradation, in a country with population growth and desert advancement. In this study, we applied MODIS series data to assess land productivity changes in the NNR (2001–2021) using NDVI trend analysis. We also used correlation and RESTREND analyses to discriminate between climate and human factors and map their effects. The results indicated that approximately 30.7% of the NNR showed land degradation, whereas 27.1% showed an increase in land productivity. There was a clear spatial pattern, with increasing productivity closer to the northern Nigeria boundary with Niger, and decreasing productivity concentrated in the central and southern parts of the NNR. Anthropogenic factors had a greater impact on land degradation and improvement, compared with rainfall. The climate forcing contributed most to land productivity in the northeastern part of the NNR. Land degradation is mainly associated with overgrazing and unsustainable agricultural practices, which lead to decreasing productivity of grasslands and crops. On the other hand, human influence on improvements involves land abandonment and recovery programs. These results can be used to planning initiatives to better integrate food production with environmental protection in the NNR, contributing to policies to Nigeria achieving land degradation neutrality as soon as possible.
{"title":"Climate Change and Human Activities: Their Roles in Shaping Land Productivity in Northern Nigeria","authors":"Ibrahim Abdullahi Yabo, Luís Flávio Pereira, Rafael Gomes Siqueira, Rugana Imbaná, Alex Xavier Pinheiro, Isabelle de Angeli Oliveira, Carlos Ernesto Gonçalves Reynaud Schaefer, Elpídio Inácio Fernandes‐Filho","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5345","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5345","url":null,"abstract":"The Northern Nigeria Region (NNR) has historically suffered from land productivity changes due to anthropogenic and climatic factors. The development of methodologies that can evaluate these changes at the pixel level and spatialize the effects of driving factors is a key requisite to provide targeted solutions for land degradation, in a country with population growth and desert advancement. In this study, we applied MODIS series data to assess land productivity changes in the NNR (2001–2021) using NDVI trend analysis. We also used correlation and RESTREND analyses to discriminate between climate and human factors and map their effects. The results indicated that approximately 30.7% of the NNR showed land degradation, whereas 27.1% showed an increase in land productivity. There was a clear spatial pattern, with increasing productivity closer to the northern Nigeria boundary with Niger, and decreasing productivity concentrated in the central and southern parts of the NNR. Anthropogenic factors had a greater impact on land degradation and improvement, compared with rainfall. The climate forcing contributed most to land productivity in the northeastern part of the NNR. Land degradation is mainly associated with overgrazing and unsustainable agricultural practices, which lead to decreasing productivity of grasslands and crops. On the other hand, human influence on improvements involves land abandonment and recovery programs. These results can be used to planning initiatives to better integrate food production with environmental protection in the NNR, contributing to policies to Nigeria achieving land degradation neutrality as soon as possible.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142449606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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